This invention relates to collapsible containers.
The invention relates in general to a collapsible container with a bar from which objects are suspended within the container, and is especially useful as a wardrobe for hanging and storing clothes. More particularly, the invention relates to a pop-open wardrobe that can be collapsed into one flat piece to be received in a carrying bag.
Collapsible containers have previously had stiff sides to support the weight of the hanger-bar and clothes hung on the bar. But those stiff sides are heavy and difficult to collapse. There is thus a need for a lightweight, easily collapsible container to support objects hung within the container, and there is a particular need for a collapsible wardrobe.
Collapsible hampers have been developed that have spring-loop frames formed of tension-loop members that stretch fabric panels sight to form a container. While light-weight and collapsible, those collapsible containers are not configured to support a hanger-bar, and lack the strength to support hung clothing or other objects. There is thus a need for strengthened collapsible containers, and for wardrobes that are lightweight and collapsible.
A collapsible container is provided that uses the tension-loop frame to form a collapsible container with flexible sides. A support frame is coupled to the flexible sides to support the hanger-bar from which clothes can be hung within the container. The support frame and hanger-bar can also be formed of a series of short tubes with ends of the tubes configured to nest with adjacent ends of adjacent tubes. This provides a light-weight and collapsible container, while providing the strength to support clothing hung from a bar within the container.
one version of this container comprises a wardrobe having an enclosed space formed by one, and preferably formed by a plurality of panels forming a plurality of sides. Each of the panels is made of a flexible material, and each of the panels is foldable such that the pop-open wardrobe can be folded into a flat piece. At least one of the panels includes an opening to allow access to the insides of the container, and preferably the opening is formed by a zipper to allow the wardrobe to be opened.
In one embodiment, the pop-open wardrobe comprises four side panels, a top panel and an optional but preferred floor panel. The top edges of the side panels are adjacent to the top panel, and the bottom edges of the side panels are adjacent to the floor panel. At least two opposite side panels comprise foldable perimeters. Preferably, each side panel comprises a perimeter encircling a flexible foldable sheet. One of the side panels has a an opening that can be releasably sealed, as by a zipper, to allow the user to open the wardrobe as needed. Preferably, the side panel with the zipper has at least a portion of the panel being transparent or translucent. One can thus have a view of the contents inside of the wardrobe without opening it. A hanger-bar is held across two opposite side panels for hanging clothes. The hanger bar has two legs received in loops that are attached on the opposite side panels. Alternatively, the legs of the hanger bar may extend a distance sufficient to reach the floor of the wardrobe and support surface on which the wardrobe rests, or the leg can extend through the floor panel to directly contact the support surface. A base can be added to the legs to provide additional support of the wardrobe.
When the hanger bar has two legs extending through the floor panel, preferably, but optionally, two grommets are included in the floor panel with the hanger bar extending through the grommets in order to protect the floor panel from being damaged by the hanger bar and the weight of the clothes supported by the hanger bar.
In a very simple form, the container has a plurality of panels formed by tension loop members, with the panels being joined at adjacent edges to form an enclosure. A hanger bar supported within the enclosure. In a further embodiment, the hanger bar is connected at each end to one of the panels. In a still further embodiment, a support is interposed between the hanger bar and a surface on which the container rests during use of the container to transfer weight from the hanger bar to the surface. The support can include a leg located at each opposing end of the hanger bar. The support could also include a pair of legs located at each opposing end of the hanger bar and arranged in an xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d frame support. The support could extend through an opening in the container to contact the surface. Preferably, the hanger bar has legs at opposing ends of the hanger bar with the legs being connected to the flexible material. The distal end of the legs can connect to a base configured to stabilize the legs and hanger bar, or to do so in cooperation with the flexible frame and panels.
The container could have an opening that is releasably closed to allow access to the enclosure. In a further embodiment, one panel is completely open to allow ready access to the inside of the container. But preferably, one panel has a zippered opening therein, or an opening that may be held closed in other ways.
The base can comprise an elongated member with a T-shaped connection to fasten to the legs. The base can comprise an elongated member lying parallel to the plane of the surface which the container rests during use. The base can comprise a rectangular frame to which all legs fasten.
The improvements also include a kit for a collapsible container to be supported on a surface during use of the container. The kit includes the tension-loop frame, hanger bar and a collapsible support, preferably but optionally placed in a carry bag. The collapsible enclosure has at least one tension-loop frame with a flexible material on the frame to form a plurality of walls defining an enclosed space. An opening is preferably formed in one of the walls to allow access to the enclosed space, or one or more entire sides, top or end could be left completely open to allow access. The collapsible frame advantageously has a hanging bar with opposing ends removably connected to first and second legs. Each leg extends in planes generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hanger bar. The legs extend a distance sufficient to support the hanger bar on the surface during use of the container. The legs are advantageously collapsible into shorter lengths for transportation and packaging.
In one embodiment, the legs comprise a plurality of elongated members that connect end-to-end to form two legs extending at an angle relative to each other to form an xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d shaped support on at least one end of the hanger bar. In another embodiment, a base connects to at least one of the legs, with the base being sized to stabilize the support of the hanger bar.
Preferably, the enclosure has a plurality of loops fastened to a wall of the enclosure adjacent at least one leg, with the loop sized and located so the at least one leg can extend through the loop when the container is assembled in order to couple the wall of the container to the at least one leg. Moreover, at least one of the walls can have a hole located and sized to allow a leg to extend through the hole during use of the container.
Also disclosed is a method of forming a collapsible container resting on a surface, with the container preferably, but optionally comprising a wardrobe. The method includes forming an enclosure container by un-coiling a at least one, and preferably a plurality of panels each having a tension-loop frame. The panel(s) form the enclosure. A hanger bar is placed in the enclosure and between two opposing sides of the container. The hanger bar is supported on the surface by using at least one leg extending between the hanger bar and the surface. Advantageously, the at least one leg is fastened to one of the panels. Moreover, the hanger bar is advantageously supported by a leg fastened to each of the opposing ends of the hanger bar. A base is advantageously fastened to a distal end of each leg. The legs can extend through holes in the enclosure, and the base can be placed outside the enclosure.